Disintegrating head mechanism for a mining apparatus



June 26, 1956 J. F. JOY 2,752,142

DISINTEGRATING HEAD MECHANISM FOR A MINING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l @iiiii'iifinimiiiiiiimiiminim; o

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DISINTEGRA'IING HEAD MLEC -i- MINING APPARATUS ISM FUR A Originai application September 25, 1951, Seriai No. 248,154. Divided and this application November 12, 1954, Serial No. 468,472

16 Claims. (Cl. 262-20) This invention relates to a mining apparatus and more particularly to a disintegrating head mechanism for an apparatus of the type known as a continuous miner for dislodging and disintegrating the mineral of a solid mine vein.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mining apparatus, especially designed for use in the continuous mining of mineral from a solid mine vein. Another object is to provide an improved disintegrating head mechanism for a continuous miner. Yet another object is to provide an improved disintegrating head mechanism for dislodging and disintegrating the mineral of a solid mine vein and embodying orbitally movable disintegrating elements for cutting parallel kerfs or slots in the mineral and having improved means for dislodging the cores or projections of mineral formed between the slots as cutting progresses. A further object is to provide an improved disintegrating head mechanism embodying disintegrating elements movable in parallel orbits for forming a core or projection of mineral attached to the solid vein and having improved means for modifying the location of the orbital paths of one of such disintegrating elements with respect to another to cause a wobbling action thereof whereby the core or projection of mineral may be readily dislodged. A still further object is to provide an improved disintegrating head mechanism embodying a series of parallel rotary disintegrating members and associated means for tilting certain of said rotary members out of parallelism with the others to effect a corebreaking function.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 248,154, filed September 25, 1951.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

in these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a continuous miner, in which the improved disintegrating head mechanism is embodied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the continuous miner shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, illustrating a portion of the disintegrating head mechanism and showing the parts in core-breaking position.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts in core-cutting and disintegrating position.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken through the face of a mine vein, showing the mode of operation of the core breakers.

The improved mining apparatus, as shown in the drawings, generally comprises a mobile base 1 on which a horizontal frame structure 2 is rigidly mounted, and carried at the front, overhanging end of this frame structure is a mine vein disintegrating head mechanism generally designated 3. Power jacks 4 serve to swing the disintenited States Patent ice grating head mechanism in vertical planes about a horizontal pivot 5 and similar power jacks 6 serve to tilt a housing or shrouding means 7 about its pivot 8 on the frame structure 2 to elevate a front conveyor pan, as is fully disclosed in the application above referred to. The apparatus is adapted to disintegrate the mineral of a solid mine vein by dislodging a series of vertical segments successively across the face of the vein and the dislodged mineral is disintegrated and moved rearwardly within the housing means 7 onto the pan of the conveying means of the apparatus in a substantially uninterrupted manner.

The disintegrating head mechanism is pivotally mounted on the front end of the frame structure 2 to swing in vertical planes about its pivot 5 and comprises vertical side frames or plates 10 which carry a transverse upper plate 11 and these side frame members have rear hub or hearing portions 12 (Fig. 1) suitably journaled on the frame structure 2. The forward portions of the vertical side frames 16 have split bearing caps 13 which hold in position suitable bearings 14 in which is journaled a front cross shaft 15 of tubular formation. Coaxial sprockets 16 are arranged at the outer sides of the frames 10 with their hubs rigidly secured at 17 to the opposite ends of the cross shaft. Drive sprockets 18 (Fig. 1) coaxial with the pivot 5 of the head mechanism engage endless side cutter or disintegrating chains 19 which pass around the sprockets 16 in such manner that the front cross shaft 15 is driven by the sprockets 18 through the side chains 19 and the sprockets 16. These side cutter chains are of the pivoted link type having cutter blocks 20 pivotally connected by strap links 21, and the cutter blocks carry disintegrating elements such as cutter bits 22. Arranged 1 coaxial with the drive sprockets 16 and the shaft 15 are circular cutter wheels or disks 23 carrying similar cutter blocks 24 and having their hubs suitably mounted on the cross shaft 15, as shown in Figs. 3- and 4. The central wheel 23a has its hub 25 rigidly secured, as by screws 26,

out of parallelism with the side chain sprockets and the central cutter wheel, as shown in Fig. 3. To accomplish such tilting of the intermediate cutter wheels 23b and 230, various forms of power devices may be employed but herein, for illustrative purposes, the tubular cross shaft 15 provides a cylinder having a bore 29 containing a reciprocable piston 30. Secured to the side frames 10 are end members 31 held in place by conventional split rings 32 and having packed head portions 33 fitting the 7 end portions of the shaft bore 29 to prevent leakage, and these members are formed with liquid flow passages 34. The end portions of the piston 31 are exteriorly grooved at 35 to receive sealing rings 36, which likewise sealingly engage the bore-wall. Projecting from the piston at its opposite sides are radial pins 37 which are spaced apart axially of the piston in the manner shown and these pins pass through longitudinal slots 37 in the shaft and are engaged in recesses 38 in the hubs of the intermediate cutter wheels. Thus, when liquid under pressure is properly supplied to the passages 34 of the left-hand member 31, as viewed in Fig. 4, the piston 30 is moved to the right to effect tilting of the intermediate cutter wheels 2312 and 23c into the oppositely inclined positions shown in Fig. 3. When liquid under pressure is supplied to passage 34 of the right-hand member 31, and the opposite end is suitably vented, the piston 30 is moved to the left, back to the original position shown in Fig. 4, to bring the intermediate wheels into parallelism with the end cutters v and the central wheel. "By trapping liquid within the i I V I 2,752,142

3 shaft bore 29 the piston is held against axial movement thereby to lock the wheels in parallelism.

Evidently, the number of cutter wheels or disks may be varied as desired and while three wheels areshown arranged'between the side chains, more or less may be provided; V V

As the disintegrating head mechanism is swung in vertical planes by the power jacks 4 the side cutter chains 1 9 and' the intermediate cutter disks or wheels 23 cooperate to form parallel vertical slots'or kerfs'K in the mineral therebyv forming parallel cores or projections C of mineral between the slots, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6, and at intervals during the disintegrating operation the operator may at will effect supply of liquid under pres' sure to the cylinder bore 29 to shift the piston' 30' axially to effect tilting of the intermediate cutter wheels or disks to causewobbling thereof thereby to effect disintegration of the cores in the manner shown. Thus, the intermediate wobble disks or wheels may dislodge the cores of mineral between the kerfs and'each wheel; when in wobbling position, first engages one core and then the other in them'anner indicated by the crossed dotted lines at A and B in Fig. 6; As the disintegrating head mechanism 3 swings downwardly the disintegrated mineral is directed rearwardly within the housing means 7 onto the pan of the conveyingmeans ofthe apparatus.

As a result of this invention, an improved mining apparatus is provided having improved disintegrating means whereby the mineral of a solid mine vein ma beefiicient- 1y dislodged'in a substantially continuous manner. By the provision of an improved disintegrating head mechanism embodying a series of parallel cutting devices for forming parallel slots in the'mine'ral together withan improved means for moving certain of the cutting devices out of parallelism foreffecting disintegration ofthe cores between the slots, the mineral of ajsolid vein may be rapidly and efliciently dislodged; These and other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those' skilled in'theart. I

While there is in this application specifically described onejform which the invention may assume in practice, it will beunderstood that this form of thesame' isshown for purposes of illustration and'that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the, appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mining apparatus, a mine vein disintegrating head mechanism comprising a swingable frame, a series of parallel, orbitally movable, cutting and disintegrating elements'carrie'd by said frame at-its outer end portion for forming a series of parallel kerfs in the mineral of a solid mine vein to form parallel cores'of mineral between the'kerfs, means for mounting certain of' said orbitally movable elements for movement'relative to said frame into and out of parallelism, and means embodied in said disintegrating head mechanism at the outer end portion thereof for moving certain of said orbitally movable elements out of mutual parallelism to effect dislodgment of said cores of mineral between the kerfs;

2. In a mining apparatus, amine' vein disintegrating head mechanism comprising a series of parallel, orbitally movable, cutting and disintegrating elements at the outer end portion of said head mechanism for forming a series of, parallel kerfs in the mineral of a solid mine vein to provide 'parallelcores of'mineral between the kerfs, a rotatable shaft structure at the outer end portion of said head mechanism on which certain of said orbitally movable elements are mounted for tilting movement out of parallelism, and meansembodied in said disintegrating head mechanism at the outer end portion th'ereof'for moving said certain orbitally'movable elements out of parallelism to e ifect dislodge'r'nent ofsaid cores of mineral between: the"kerfs',fsaid moving means including power operated means within said shaft structure and engageable with said tiltable elements for effecting tilting of the latter as aforesaid.

3. A mining apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said power operated means comprises a cylinder bore provided within said shaft structure and a fluid actuated piston is reciprocable in said bore, and meansf is provided for supplying fluid under pressure to said bore to eifect actuation of said piston. V

4. In a mining apparatus, adisintegrating head mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of parallel side cutter chains, a frame structure pivotally mounted at its rearward portion and on which said side chains are mounted, coaxial chain spro'ckets'carried at the forward end of said mechanismand engaged and driven by said side cutter. chains, a coaxial cross shaftdriven by said sprockets and to the outer ends of which said sprockets are connected, coaxial cutter wheels mounted on said shaft and arranged parallelwithsaid side chains, means for tiltably mounting said cutter'wheelsonsaid cross shaft for tilting movement out ofparallelism with said side chains, and means associate d'w'ith 'said cross shaft and said tiltable mounting means for tilting said cutter wheels relative to said cross. shaft. 7

5. A mining'appa'ratus as' set forth in claim 4 wherein said wheel-tilting-means comprisesa cylinder'bore formed insaid cross shaft and a fluid actuated piston is'contained in said shaft-bore and is connected to said tiltable cutter wheels; v p

6. In a mining apparatus, a disintegrating head mecha nism comprising a swingable frame having an outer end portion and a' series of coaxial cutter wheelsfor forming parallel slots in the mineral of a so'lid'min'evein to provide cores"of mineral between the slots,pivotal' mounting means: for certainof said wheels at said outer end portion of said frame for'permitting'tilting of'said certain wheels out of parallelism, and means at said outer end'portion of saidframeand'operable at will during the disintegrating operation for tilting certainof said cutter wheels out of parallelism with respect 'to'another thereof to cause a wobbling' actio'nof the tilted wheels to engage and break on the cores between the slots.

7. A mining apparatus as' set forth in claim 6 wherein said tilting means includes a power operated device asso ciated with said head mechanism and operatively connected to said tiltable cutter Wheels for effecting tilting thereof for the purpose specified.

8. In a mining apparatus, a disintegrating head mecha nism having an'outer end'portio'n and comprising a series of coaxial cutter wheels for forming parallel slots in the mineral of a'solid'mine vein to provide cores of mineral between the slots, a cross shaft journaled onthe outer portion of the head mechanism, tiltablemountings for certain of said cutter wheels on said cross shaft, and

' means at the outer end portion ,of saidfmechanism-and operable at will during the disintegrating operation for tilting said certain of said cutter wheels out of parallelism with respect to another thereof to cause a 'wobbling action of the tilted wheels to engage and break oifthe cores between the slots.

9. A mining apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein a power operated'mecham'sm is associated with the head mechanism and includes a power device arranged within said cross" shaft and operatively connected to said tiltable cutter wheels for tilting the latter. v

10. In a mining apparatus, adisin'tegrating headmechanism comprising a swingable frame having an outer end portion and coaxial cutter wheels for' fo'rming parallel slots in the mineral of a solid mine vein to provide a core of mineral between the slots, means for mounting said cutter wheels on the'outer portion of said frame for relative tilting movement, and means at the. outer end portion of said frame and operableat' will during theidisintegratingjoperation" for eifecting relativetiltin'g rnovement of said cutter wheels to movene latter withres'pect to each other out of parallelism thereby to effect engagement and breaking off of the core.

11. In a mining apparatus, a disintegrating head mechanism comprising a movable frame, cutting devices movable in parallel orbits at the outer portion of said frame and movable in unison with said frame for forming parallel slots in the mineral of a solid mine vein to provide a core of mineral between the slots, means for mounting said cutting devices on the outer portion of said movable frame for movement relative to said frame into and out of parallelism, and means carried by said movable frame at its outer portion and operable at will during the disintegrating operation for moving said cutting devices out of parallelism relative to said movable frames to effect breaking off of the core betwen the slots.

12. A mining apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for moving said cutting devices out of parallelism comprises means at the outer portion of said frame for tilting one of said devices relative to the other while the latter remains immovable as regards tilting movement.

13. In a disintegrating head mechanism, the combination comprising a head frame pivoted at its inner end portion for swinging movement, parallel series of disintegrating elements carried at the outer end portion of said head frame for cutting parallel slots in the solid mineral of a mine vein to form cores of mineral between the slots, means for mounting certain of said disintegrating elements for movement relative to said frame into and out of parallel relation with respect to others thereof, and means at the outer end portion of said head frame and operatively associated with certain of said disintegrating elements for moving the same out of parallelism With said other elements to effect breaking off of the cores between the slots.

14. In a disintegrating mechanism, the combination comprising a head, said head having a frame pivoted at its inner end portion for swinging movement, disintegrating elements carried at the outer end portion of said head frame including a series of rotary cutting wheels for cutting parallel slots in the solid mineral of a mine vein, means for mounting said cutting wheels on the outer portion of said frame for movement relative thereto into and out of mutually parallel relation, and means at the outer end portion of said head frame and operatively associated with said cutting wheels for moving said disintegrating elements out of parallelism to effect breaking off of the cores between the slots.

15. In a disintegrating head mechanism, the combination comprising a head frame pivoted at its inner end portion for swinging movement, disintegrating elements carried by said head frame including parallel endless side disintegrating chains and a series of rotary cutting wheels at the outer end portion of said head frame intermediate said side chains, said disintegrating elements upon swinging of said head frame engaging the mineral of a solid mine vein to cut parallel slots in the mineral to form cores of mineral between the slots, means for mounting certain of said rotary cutting wheels on said frame for movement into and out of parallelism with said side chains, and means operatively associated with said certain rotary cutting wheels for moving the same out of parallelism with said side chains to effect breaking off of the cores between the slots.

16. In a disintegrating head mechanism, the combination comprising a head frame pivoted at its inner end portion for swinging movement, parallel side disintegrating chains guided for orbital circulation at the side of said head frame, a series of rotary cutting Wheels at the outer end portion of said head frame intermediate said side chains, one of said cutting wheels being located centrally between said side chains, said side chains and said cutting wheels upon swinging of said head frame cutting parallel slots in the solid mineral of a mine vein to form cores of mineral between the slots, means for mounting the others of said series of rotary cutting wheels on said frame for movement into and out of parallelism with said side chains, and means at the outer end portion of said head frame and operatively associated with said others of said rotary cutting Wheels for moving the same out of parallelism with said side chains and said intermediate wheel to effect breaking off of the cores between the slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,261,162 Joy Nov. 4, 1941 

